Avon Native Uses National Food Tour To Promote LGBT Issues

Miller Foods in Avon is hosting a stop for a national tour promoting equality for the LBGT community

AVON — A town native is using the humble BLT sandwich in a nationwide tour with a food truck to promote equality for people in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Taryn Miller-Stevens' BLgT USA tour comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling on the constitutionality of gay marriage this summer. She and her partner in the project, Peter Stolarski, started on May 23 and so far have stopped in Massachusetts, Vermont and New York.

The tour comes to Avon on Tuesday, when Miller-Stevens and Stolarski park their food truck at her family's business, Miller Foods on Arch Road, and serve sandwiches made by Chris Prosperi, of Metro Bis restaurant in Simsbury.

Miller-Stevens said the plan is to have visited all 50 states by the time summer is over. She said in addition to promoting awareness of LGBT issues, the tour is partnering with local restaurants to raise money for organizations serving that community.

As the name suggests, at each stop people will be served a local restaurant's take on the classic bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich. Miller-Stevens said she and Stolarski are using food because it is a great way to bring people together, and B, L and T are three out of the four letters in the LGBT acronym. The fourth letter, G, will be chefs' opportunities to add a new ingredient to the BLT, beginning with the letter G.

"People are looking for an approachable way to show they care about equal rights for all people," Miller-Stevens said. "I grew up with food and seeing the powerful connections that can happen when people break bread together."

The event at Miller Foods will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, and a $20 donation is requested. Proceeds will benefit the New Haven Pride Center.

Miller-Stevens said now is a good time to be out promoting equality for the LGBT community because of the anticipated decision by the Supreme Court. But she said gay marriage was not the only thing on her mind when she and Stolarski developed the idea for the tour. Miller-Stevens said many people in the LGBT community face job discrimination and young people are particularly hard hit by prejudice, including a large number who are homeless.

"Equal rights for people in the LGBT community is not just about marriage," Miller-Stevens said.

For the stop in Avon, Prosperi said he plans to use guacamole, along with the customary bacon, lettuce and tomato.

"I know the family, I love the cause and anything I can do to help by raising awareness I'm all for it," Prosperi said.

Prosperi said he thinks that as many as 100 people may show up Tuesday. "That's a lot of sandwiches," he said.

More information on the food tour is available at http://blgt.getout.io.